Intermittent walking training improves thyroid function and cardiometabolic risk factors in postmenopausal women

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the impact of a 10-week moderate intermittent walking training (MIWT) program on thyroid hormone levels and key cardiometabolic markers in obese postmenopausal women. METHODS: = 18). Participants performed the MIWT program for four sessions per week (five repetitions of the 6-min walking test [6MWT] at 60-80% of the distance covered in the 6-min walking test [6MWD], interspersed by 6 min of active recovery between repetitions). Body composition, thyroid hormones (thyroid stimulating hormone [TSH] and thyroxine-free [FT4]), lipid profile (triglycerides [TRG], total cholesterol [TC], high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C] and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C]), blood pressure and aerobic fitness (6MWT) were determined before and after the MIWT. CONCLUSIONS: A 10-week MIWT program modestly improved thyroid hormones, cardiometabolic risk and functional capacity in obese postmenopausal women without adverse effects. MIWT is an accessible and low-impact intervention suitable for integration into routine clinical practice to prevent and manage thyroid-related and cardiometabolic disorders in this high-risk population.